10 Best Golf States

We rank the country's 10 best golf states based on top public courses per capita

Golfers are familiar with the traditional lists of top courses and destinations, but how do the 50 states stack up as golf locations based on their populations? Using the most recent census estimates, we've created a ranking of the best golf states based on the number of great public golf courses per capita. Only courses that rated four stars or above in Golf Digest's Places to Play were counted and private clubs were not included. Some of the states in the top 10 shouldn't come as a surprise, but others surely will as they take the place of bigger population hubs like California, which boasts the most highly-ranked public courses with 154, yet is only No. 43 on this list. So what does it all mean? Well, if you're an average golfer living in one of these states, consider yourself lucky.

1. Hawaii

Courses: 41; Population: 1,295,178

As if it wasn't enough living in a tropical paradise, residents of Hawaii are the most blessed when it comes to available great courses. Notables include Princeville Resort (Prince -- 5 stars) and Kapalua (Plantation), where the PGA Tour's season-opening event is held.